Identification bracelet



Feb. 13, 1962 J. L. CLARK 3,020,653

INDENTIFICATION BRACELET Filed Dec. 4, 1959 INVENTOR JAMES L. CLARKUnited States Patent Qfiice 3,929,553 Patented Feb. 13, 1962 3,020,658IDENTIFICATIDN BRACELET James L. Clark, Milwaukee, Wis, assignor toMark-Clark Products, Inc., Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation Filed Dec. 4,1959, Ser. No. 857,282 r 1 Claim. (Cl. 40-41) This invention appertainsto identification bracelets of the general type shown in my pendingapplication, Serial Number 761,784, filed September 18, 1958, for use inhospitals and similar institutions.

Identification bracelets must meet certain requirements for successfulhospital use; namely, (1) ease of application and adjustment to the sizeof the wrist of a patient; (2) have sanitary properties; (3) one whichwill not cause injury or discomfort to a patient; (4) one in which theidentification card can be quickly inserted in the bracelet and one inwhich the card will be displayed in an adequate manner so that the samecan be easily read, and one in which the card will be firmly held in thebracelet and thoroughly protected against water and the like during thefrequent washing of a patient in order to maintain the legibility of theindicia on the card,

It is also desirable that the bracelet posses a reasonably presentableor attractive appearance. In view of the fact that a new bracelet isused for every patient, the bracelets must be manufactured and sold atan extremely low cost.

Obviously, this presents a serious problem to the manufacturer anddifficulty is encountered in manufacturing a bracelet possessing thedesired hospital requirements at a low cost.

It is, therefore, one of the primary objects of my present invention toprovide an identification bracelet for hospital use, which can bequickly and easily manufactured at an extremely low cost, one which willpresent a pleasing appearance, and one in which all hospitalrequirements will be met, including ease of insertion of the card,visibility of the card and the protecting of the card.

Another salient object of my invention is to provide an identificationbracelet for hospital use in which the bracelet is made from a singlestrip of thin flexible plastic material having heat sealed thereto atone end thereof a transparent plastic sheet forming in conjunction withthe strap a pocket for an identilcation card and a sight window, thetransparent sheet or window having a guide flap at the pocket entrancefor facilitating the insertion of a card into the pocket, the flapoverlying a part of the strap, novel means being provided for adjustablysecuring the strap ends together and for firmly holding the flap inintimate sealing contact with the strap for closing the pocket againstentrance of foreign matter and holding the identification card in place.

A further object of my invention is to provide an identificationbracelet having a sight window heat sealed to the strap along its sidemarginal edges and at one end only, leaving a guide and sealing fiap atthe opposite end, the strap carrying at the open end of the pocket thestud portion of a snap fastener for extending through the flap of thesight window, the opposite end of the strap having a plurality of spacedopenings for selectively receiving the stud, the strap terminal carryingthe socket portion of the strap fastener, whereby the strap can bedoubled back on itself for snapping the socket over the stud, so thatnot only will the bracelet be firmly held in its adjusted wrist engagingposition with the flap in contact with the strap, but so that theidentification card in the pocket will be effectively held in place.

Another further object of my invention is to provide an identificationbracelet in which excess strap material after the adjustment of thebracelet on the wrist of a person can be cut off leaving the socketportion of the snap fastener in place on the stud for reducing excessthickness of material and the necessity of inserting excess strapmaterial in the identification pocket.

A still further object of my invention is the provision of anidentification bracelet for patients in hospitals, in which the strap isformed from plastic material of a thin gauge for extreme flexibility andcomfort to the patient and for economy, with means for treating themarginal edges of the strap by molding under heat to eliminate raw sharpedges and to give a pleasing appearance to the bracelet and a suggestionof thickness and durability.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in thenovel construction, arrangement and formation of parts, as will behereinafter more specifically described and claimed, and illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, in which drawings,

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of my improved identification braceletapplied to the wrist of a person;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the bracelet in its open form with partsof the sight window broken away to disclose the identification card;

FIGURE 3 is a bottom plan view of the bracelet in its open condition;

. FIGURE 4 is a longitudinal sectional view through vthe open bracelet,the section being taken on the line 4--4 of FIGURE 2 looking in thedirection of the arrows, the view showing the flexible flap of the sightwindow inserted over the stud portion of a snap fastener, the openposition of the flap being shown in dotted lines;

FIGURE 5 is a transverse sectional view through the bracelet taken onthe line 5-5 of FIGURE 4 looking in the direction of the arrows, theview showing the novel treatment of the marginal edges of the strap;

FIGURE 6 is a transverse sectional view through the pocket portion ofthe bracelet, the view being taken on the line 6--6 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 7 is a detail perspective view taken on a smaller scale thanFIGURES 2 to 6, inclusive, and illustrating the adjustment of the strapto a particular size and the insertion of the snap fastener through aselected opening in the strap with the strap folded back to permit theengagement of the socket portion of the snap fastener with the stud;

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of an exploded nature showingthe strip ends connected and the socket portion of the snap fastenerinserted on the stud and with excess strap material cut away.

Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein similar referencecharacters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views,the letter B generally indicates my improved identification bracelet.The bracelet is formed from two pieces of material only, namely thestrap or body portion 10 and a sight window portion 11.

The strap or body portion 10 is formed from a single strip of thinplastic material preferably of an opaque character. The sight window 11is formed from a clear or transparent sheet of plastic material, and thesight window 11 is united with the strap of body portion 10 of thebracelet by heat sealing, as will be later set forth.

Now referring more particularly to the strap or body portion 10 of thebracelet, it can be seen that the same is widened transversely at oneend, as at 12, and this is the portion that receives the sight window11. The widening of the strap or body portion at this point permits theuse of a relatively wide identification card, indicated by the referencecharacter 13, as will be more particularly pointed out. The opposite endof the strap or body portion 10 from the widened portion 12, is providedwith a reduced neck 14 to provide a tab 15. The body or strap portion 10is die cut from a thin sheet of thermoplastic material and preferably atthe time of the die cutting of the body or strap portion 10, themarginal edge thereof is heat molded to form a marginal rib or head 16.It is to be noted that the bead projects in opposite directions from theinner and outer faces of the strap or body portion and that the materialimmediately adjacent the bead is slightly reduced in thickness. Theproducing of this bead eliminates sharp marginal edges which are usuallynaturally formed by die cutting, and hence the bead gives comfort to apatient. Likewise, the bead gives an ornamental effect and gives thebracelet an appearance of thickness and durability.

The sight window 11 as stated, is cut from a sheet of transparentthermoplastic material and is formed of a size and shape so as to matchthe size and shape of the strap or body portion at its wide part. Thelongitudinal edges of the window 11 are heat sealed, as at 17, to thestrap or body portion 10 and the inner edge of the window is heatsealed, as at 18, to the strap or body portion of the bracelet. Thisleaves the outer end of the strip free from the strap or body portion 10and this forms an entrance mouth to a pocket formed by the heat sealingof the window to the strap or body portion 10. The window 11 at thepocket entrance is provided with an extension forming a flap 19 whichoverlies one face of the strap or body portion 10. When anidentification card 13 is being inserted in the pocket, this flap 19 israised, as shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 4 and the flap actuallyfunctions as a guide for facilitating the insertion of the card in thepocket. The flap also functions as a sealing closure for the pocket, aswill now be set forth.

The bracelet is adjustably fitted to the wrist of a patient and when sofitted is held in its wrist encircling position by means of a snapfastener 20. The snap fastener includes a stud portion 21 and a socketportion 22. The snap fastener is preferably of the locking type, i.e., atype in which, when the socket portion is sprung over the stud portionthe same cannot be removed. The stud portion 21 is securely fastened tothe strap or body portion 10 immediately below the flap 19 and this studportion projects outwardly from the outer face of the strap or bodyportion 10. The flap 19 is provided with an opening 23 so that the flapcan extend over the stud and fiat against and in intimate contact withthe material of the strap or body portion 19, when the socket portion 22is sprung over the stud. The strap or body portion 10 inward of thesocket section 22 is provided with a longitudinal row of spaced openings24.

In use of the bracelet, the identification card 13 has typed or writtenthereon the desired indicia and the card is inserted in the pocketformed by uniting the sight window and body portion 10 of the bracelet.With the card in place, the flap 19 is pressed down on the strap withthe stud portion 21 extending through the opening in the flap. Thebracelet is now placed around the wrist of a patient and the stud 21 isinserted through a selected opening 24 according to the size of thepatients wrist. After this, the strap is folded back upon itself and thesocket 22 is pressed firmly down over the stud and in engagement withthe flap 19 to press and hold the flap in intimate contact with thestrap body. The folded back portion of the strap now indicated by thereference character 25 is severed from the rest of the strap portion bya pair of scissors or the like. This leaves the socket portion 20 alonefirmly anchored to the stud and all excess material is eliminated.

Stfess is laid on the fact that the stud 21 projects up from the outerface of the strap or body portion 10 and that the open portion of thesocket 22 also faces upwardly from the outer face of the strap. Hence,in order to apply the bracelet to the wrist of a patient and to lock thesame in place, it is necessary to fold the strap back upon itself tobring the socket portion 22 in correct position for springing over thestud. This prevents a wrongful application of the bracelet to the wristof a patient. After the bracelet has served its purpose and the patientis discharged from a hospital, then the bracelet is removed from thepatients wrist by merely severing the strap with a pair of scissors ofthe like.

The forcing down of the socket portion 22 over the stud 29 insures thebringing of the flap 19 into sealing contact with the strap body. Notonly does it safely hold the card 13 in position but also precludes theentrance of foreign matter, including water, into the pocket and themarring and dirtying of the card.

While I have stated that the plastic parts are heat sealed, it is to bealso understood that the parts can be connected by electronic weldingand in fact, electronic welding is preferred.

From the foregoing description it can be seen that I have provided anexceptionally simple form of identification brackelet which willeffectively perform its desired functions.

Various changes in details may be made without departing from the spiritor the scope of this invention, but what I claim as new is:

An identification bracelet comprising a body portion widened at one endand a clear plastic window heat sealed to the body portion at itswidened part at its longitudinal marginal edges and at its inner endleaving the opposite end of the window free from the strap to form anentrance mouth leading to a pocket defined by the window and a part ofthe body portion, an identification card adapted to be inserted in thepocket through said mouth, a sealing and guide flap for the pocket andcard formed on the free end of the window for overlying the outer faceof the body portion, the bracelet being adapted to be held in a wristencircling position by a snap fastener including a stud anchored to thebody portion directly below the flap, the flap having an opening forinsertion over the stud, the snap fastener also including a socketportion carried by the opposite end of the body from the stud with theopen portion of the socket facing outwardly from the body portion, thebody portion also having a longiutdinal row of spaced openings, the bodyportion being adapted to encircle the wrist of a patient with the studthrough a selected opening in the body portion, and said body portionbeing folded back upon itself to present the open portion of the socketto the stud so that the socket portion can be firmly pressed on the studwith the flap pressed against the material of the body portion, thefolded back part of the body being severable to eliminate excessmaterial leaving the socket only on the stud.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,380,633 Brown June 7, 1921 1,811,660 Bausher June 23, 1931 2,871,592Polzin Feb. 3, 1959

